President Peres opened The Annual Assembly of the Council of Religious Leaders in Israel with the Leaders of All of Israels Religions with a Special Speech on the Current Situation

Thursday 15th November, 2012

President Peres opened The Annual Assembly of the Council of Religious
Leaders in Israel with the Leaders of All of Israel's Religions with a
Special Speech on the Current Situation

President Shimon Peres, this morning (Thursday, 15 November 2012), opened
the annual assembly of the Council of Religious Leaders in Israel including
the leaders of all the religions in Israel. A special delegation of 19
Imams, leaders of the French Muslim community, who are visiting Israel to
make their voice clearly head against extremism and terrorism, also took
part in the conference.

In light of the situation in the south
http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Terrorism-+Obstacle+to+Peace/Hamas+war+against+Israel/Israel_strikes_terror_targets_Gaza_14-Nov-2012.htm
President Peres delivered special remarks and said, "The State of Israel and
the residents of the south are under attack. This morning rockets were fired
at Israel, civilians were killed and babies were injured. Children in the
south are living under the threat of falling rockets, they are seized by
fear. There is no nation that loves peace and hates bloodshed like Israel,
our enemies are not the people of Gaza, our enemies are not the Muslim
people. Our enemies are the terrorists who operate without reason and
without though." The President stressed that Israel's hand is outstretched
for peace but that Israel will do whatever is necessary to protect her
citizens, "The world is beginning to understand that we are operating with
responsibility and we do not take human life lightly. I don't know any
country that would show restraint for as long as Israel did during the
attacks on the south."

President Peres addressed the targeting of Ahmed Jabari
http://www.idf.il/1283-17579-en/Dover.aspx
yesterday by the IDF and the strikes against Hamas' weapons and said, "The
IDF operated with the utmost effort to avoid civilian casualties. Jabari was
an arch-murderer and responsible for terror attacks and the killing of many.
I salute the IDF and the security services for their accurate, surgical and
strategically important operation."

President Peres called on the religious leaders to unite to oppose bloodshed
and work together for peace, "religious leaders have an important role in
stopping terror in the name of religion, we should unite in our call against
terror and against bloodshed, alongside a respect for the value of human
life. We must work together, to call for reason and to guarantee the lives
of all our children – that is a real contribution, religious and
humanitarian."

It should be noted that President Peres opened the annual assembly of the
Council of Religious Leaders in Israel which took place in the Baha'i
Gardens in Haifa and included senior members of the council: Rabbi Shlomo
Moshe Amar, Rabbi Yona Metzger, Imam Mouhammad Kiwan, His Excellency
Archbishop Aris Shirbenian, His Paternity Fr. Pierbattista Pizzaballa
Custos, Greek Patriarch Theophilos III, Archbishop Elias Chacour, the Latin
Patriarch Fouad Tawl, and the head of the Baha'i movement, Mr. Albert
Lincoln.

For additional information:

Ayelet Frish – Spokesperson and Media Adviser to the President of Israel,
050-6205111
Yair Zivan – International Media Coordinator, Office of the President of
Israel, 052-3450061